Continuing Conversations: Critical Proposals for a new Student Union. #2: Stephanos Iossifidis

Stephanos Iossifidis is a candidate for President in the Oxford University Student Union elections

Though opp will not be endorsing candidates for the elections to the Oxford Student Union, we believe in providing a platform for critical reflection on potential reform. Every candidate has been invited to contribute a piece tackling a single issue affecting the academic community concisely and critically.

To be worth their salary, the next SU president must publicly redefine the limits of what students can demand from their university, whilst propagating and supporting the work of activists currently agitating for those demands.

Fair rent, fair wages, and divestment are key demands that, even in the face of growing protest momentum, many students perceive to be impracticable or naive. Truly, a political status quo is at best maintained when people do not consider necessary changes as being within the realm of possibility.

Last year, successful campaigns were waged against universities charging extortionate rent in Manchester, Durham, Surrey, London, and Newcastle, to name a few. This year has seen the Oxford Cut the Rent movement rapidly grow in response to deceptive administration COVID policy, with no support from the SU.

Many workers within the colleges (scouts, porters, tutors) are paid below the Oxford living wage but have little recourse- colleges do not recognise workers' unions. Staff employed by the University have recently exercised their rights to collectively bargain by going on strike, with nominal support from the SU, and will continue to do so in the future unless and until they are treated with dignity.

I have been speaking with UCU committee members since the strikes and one of the most disheartening concerns they had was the lack of support from the SU. When I put this to the current SU president, she said that they were hesitant to support the strikes since the SU is meant to lobby for students' interests.

We need a president who understands that staff working conditions are student learning conditions, one who furthermore understands that college and university wealth must be scrutinised and distributed.

I agree with Richard Mifsud, the empty-chair candidate, that the role of President has largely been taken as a sinecure and has the scope to remain one; our SU does not need even more well-intentioned bureaucrats. If the role of President is to exist at all it should serve to champion those mentioned struggles in Oxford with its superordinate mandate. It might be nice to join the ranks of UK universities currently engaged in the national struggle against the commercialisation and commodification of higher education.

Per the SU's website: "it is our responsibility to question the institution in which we work" - once we start doing this thoroughly, we might even change the way they work.

For a history of activism in Oxford; guides to organising; and information from active organisations themselves, please look out for the upcoming Disorientation Guide. If the current SU keep their promises, it will be emailed to every student in the coming week or so. Otherwise, it will soon be available at: http://oxfordradicalforum.com/index.php/disorientation-guide/.

Stephanos’ manifesto, as well as the manifestos of the candidates he is running against, can be found here.